Three, two, one…Happy New Year! The start of something new, bringing changes and different resolutions into one’s life. Eating healthier, going to the gym more, or becoming a new person are all normal goals someone could hear walking into the new year. This day is a very celebrated time for everyone, as it’s exciting and gives people a fresh start. But for some, this year is a chance to go back to the past.
With artists like Zara Larsson returning and going on tour, performing her old songs, and popular influencers posting throwback pictures from a decade ago. Many people are romanticising 2026 as the new 2016. At this time, pop culture was becoming very major in the world, and social media was starting to take over as more and more people started using the apps. Plenty of new trends started, like the mannequin challenge, water bottle flip, chokers, bright colors, selfies, and filters, making it very exciting for the younger generation. Many people look back at the year and think of hot summer nights and late drives with close friends and good music.
2016 is seen as an icon for many teenagers, since they were too young to live the full experience at the time. Now is a perfect opportunity for them to live out their fantasies. There are technically a lot of differences between the years, but people are looking more for the dopamine rush that it gives off. The music was loud and fun, it was different from what it is now, it feels happy and carefree. The TV shows were entertaining shows like “Liv and Maddie,” “K.C. Undercover,” “Stuck in the Middle,” and “Girl Meets World,” all of which stick in people’s heads as comfort shows that they now watch for happy memories.
Not only is Gen Z excited for this, but many artists are as well. It will give them a bit of positive fame again, people like Selena Gomez, Sia, Charlie Puth, The Chainsmokers, Adele, Lorde, and Bruno Mars. This is giving many of the artists who thought they would be left in the past a chance to strive once again and pick up where they left off. Music was a very large part of this time, making up what some people remember most now. If you play one of the most popular songs, almost everyone in the room will know it and be able to sing along. 2016 was a large part of the way pop culture is now; it carried through the years, giving not only music a boost but television and influencers their own light to shine as well.
2026 is a new year with new possibilities for everyone, as every day is different. People can make the choice on how they live their lives. For some reason, many people yearn to feel that 2016 teenage lifestyle, and that will just be how some people want to live out their year, reminiscing on something they really didn’t get to experience, but they hear so much about. It’s something familiar yet new at the same time. Let’s go back to the past, have fun with Starbucks drinks in hand, go to the mall, and post selfies with our friends, live in the moment, and not regret a day that passes us by. Let this year be the best year yet.
